lla's own little
parlor, while the grand wedding dinner was to be served--not till two
o'clock, the blacksmith learned with dismay--at her brother's house,
under the orchard trees.

Only one thing more troubled the mistress of ceremonies. As the doctor
was to be best man, and Elsie Cameron bridesmaid, and since the groom
was rich, the Winters would have preferred to ask only the more genteel
folks of the neighborhood--the minister's family, and a few of their
Glenoro relatives. But Martin spoiled it all by asking John McIntyre
and Davy Munn and the eldest orphan. Susan tried to object, but Martin
declared that Tim and Davy had helped to bring about the wedding; for
if they had not been obliging enough to steal Arabella's dress, and
lose it in the swamp, he argued, he would be there yet; so the boys
deserved all the fun that was going. When the twins heard that an
exception had been made in favor of Tim, they raised their voices in
shrieking protest, and would have gone to the wedding willy-nilly, had
not Mrs. Winters interviewed them, promising them unlimited
bride's-cake when the affair was over, if they remained out of sight,
and dire retribution should they disobey.

So the matter was finally settled by asking every one, irrespective of
social position, and when the evening of Miss Arabella's wedding day
came around once again everything was in readiness. Elsie Cameron came
over in her white bridesmaid's gown, to see how Arabella liked her, and
the doctor dropped in to show Martin how to stand up and behave
himself, for once in his life. So when the time came to go home--for
Mrs. Winters sent them away early, declaring she couldn't get a hand's
turn done in such a crowd--what was more natural than that the
groomsman should walk with the bridesmaid? He did not ask if he might;
there was no need, for they were very good friends now. When he had
returned that night from the rescue of Martin, all mud-splashed and
exhausted, he had read, with a glad leap of his heart, the message in
her eyes and in her faltering words--he had vindicated himself.

By tacit consent they left the street and followed the path down into
Treasure Valley. And as they went, Gilbert told her more fully the
story of his relations with Martin; how his friend's heroic silence and
his own selfish ambition had made him forget his duty. He did not
spare himself; but he could afford to be severe, for Martin had told
her everything, and she w